Two pedestrians and a van puller were killed after a driver lost control of a lorry and it ran over the three on Dhaka-Chattogram highway near Kutumbpur bus stand in Cumilla's Chandina upazila yesterday.

Witnesses said Mohorom Ali, 75, and Abdul Matin, 65, of Kutumbpur Uttarpara, were returning home walking along the highway around 7:00am.

All of a sudden, the Dhaka-bound lorry from Chattogram veered off the road and knocked them from behind.

In an attempt to gain control over the wheels, the driver turned right and rammed a van leaving its puller Kazi Rafiqul Islam, 60, a resident of Kashimpur village, dead on the spot, the witnesses further said.

Of the pedestrians, Matin died on the spot and Ali on the way to Comilla Medical College Hospital, police said.

Quoting locals, Md Saiful Islam, son of Ali, said the driver seemed drowsy when the accident occurred.

Inspector Monirul Islam, in-charge of Eliotganj highway police outpost, said they arrested the driver, Dudu Mia, 55, of Charkagoria of Satkania, Chattogram, and seized the lorry.

A case was filed with Chandina police in this regard.